Artis Robert Pearson

A Private with the 6th Battalion, Artis died on 14th of October 1916 at the age of 21. 

Artis was born at Blundeston in 1895, a son of Daniel William and Emma Artis Pearson. He was baptised at Saint Mary’s Church, Blundeston, on 5 May 1895. In 1901 his family lived at Reeves House, Oulton Road, and by 1911 at Meadow Cottage, Oulton Road, and Artis worked as a farm labourer. 

Artis volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Thirsk. He joined the Yorkshire Regiment, service number 23354. He was posted to the 6th Battalion and arrived at Gallipoli on 21 November 1915 to join the battalion. In July 1916 the battalion moved to France. 

In early August 1916 Artis was attached to the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. On 4 August the 13th Battalion made an attack on Torr Trench, near Contalmaison. The first wave left their trench at 9.16 p.m. and were immediately raked with machine-gun fire from Torr Trench and from behind a barricade in Munster Alley. A smoke baggage brought confusion to the situation and a bombing fight in Torr Trench wages until around 2.15 a.m. A party from the battalion bombed their way up Munster Alley until held by a ‘block’. At this point it was decided not to try a further attack. Reinforcements were sent to Munster Alley, but most became casualties. The fight in Munster Alley continued throughout the night but the battalion held their positions and on the 5th August the battalion was relieved by the 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. 

The battalion’s casualties on 4-5 August were:

Officers: three killed, five wounded, one missing
Other ranks: 10 killed, 89 wounded, 11 missing, 9 shell-shock

Artis was admitted to No 3 Casualty Clearing Station on 5 August 1916 with multiple gunshot wounds. The next day he was evacuated, viz No 16 Ambulance Train. He died of wounds at Saint John’s Hospital, Etaples, on 14 October.